Diego Costa's strop that nearly saw him move to China in January seems like a very long time ago now but the Chelsea striker had still been expecting to move east, but maybe not now.
Back in January Costa was dropped for Chelsea's game against then champions Leicester City. It came in the middle of reports of a training ground argument between the club's top scorer and manager Antonio Conte.
It looked like Costa's head had been turned by the offer of ridiculous amounts of money from the Far East and he wouldn't stay at Stamford Bridge unless he was offered at least £350k-a-week by the club.
Costa was only absent for one game as Antonio Conte was able to wrestle the situation back. Image: PA
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The striker looked to be heading for the exit door but Conte managed to keep his number one striker past the transfer window but it was assumed he would move to China or return to Atletico Madrid in the summer.
However Tianjin Quanjian, the club who had offered him an incredible £650k-a-week after tax earlier in the year, seem to have gone off the idea of signing him. The Chinese Super League club posted a statement today saying:
"For the past six months, our club have not involved in any form of communication and negotiation with Diego Costa nor his representatives.
"Our club will draw up a rational transfer plan as an aim to improve the spectator experience of the Chinese Super League and meet its sustainability demands.
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"We won't take part in any unhealthy competition, thus preventing all overpriced signings."
The club's top scorer this season is a very important part of the team but hasn't been himself in the second half of the season. Image: PA
Those words come just a couple of months after the club announced that they had made a verbal agreement with their number one summer target and said 'buying a world-class centre forward is a no-brainer,' convincing everyone that it was Costa.
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Quanjian were believed to have offered £75 million for Costa in the winter transfer window but their new comments seem to rule out another bid for 28-year-old.
It would be a boost to Antonio Conte if the player, who scored 20 goals in the Premier League this season, were to stay on for next season as replacing that many goals would have been tricky and expensive.
Lukaku has long been linked as a possible transfer for Chelsea but he won't want to play second fiddle to Costa. Image: PA
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Romelu Lukaku has long been linked with a return to Stamford Bridge but that would be unlikely if Costa didn't move, although the Brazilian born Spaniard could still move elsewhere.
It certainly does seem to be a huge u-turn by the Chinese club, certain politicians would be proud!
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